How to Select the Right Electrician Trade School near Smiths Grove Kentucky
The first step to learning to be an electrical tradesman or contractor is finding an electrician trade school near Smiths Grove KY. But with so many vocational schools to choose from, just how do you approach making sure that you enroll in the best one? Especially since there are so many variables to examine. For example, many students will begin by looking for schools that are nearby their home. After they have found some that are within commuting distance, they will decide on the one with the most affordable tuition. Even though cost and location are significant, they are not the only things that need to be considered. Also critical are the reputations of the schools, their accreditation, along with their job placement and graduation rates. These and additional qualifications should help mold your ultimate decision when choosing an electrician school. We will discuss that checklist in more detail later in this article. But first, let’s review a little bit about being an electrician and the training choices that are available.
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Electrician Degree, Certificate and Diploma Programs
There are multiple approaches to obtain electrician training in a technical or vocational school near Smiths Grove KY. You can enroll in a certificate or diploma program, or obtain an Associate Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees are available at certain schools, but are not as common as the first three alternatives. Frequently these programs are offered together with an apprenticeship, which are mandated by the majority of states in order to become licensed or if you wish to earn certification. Following are short summaries of the three most typical programs available.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are typically provided by Kentucky technical and trade schools and take approximately a year to finish. They furnish a good foundation and are aimed towards individuals who would like to join an apprenticeship more quickly as a journeyman electrician.
- Associate Degree Programs require 2 years to finish and are offered by Kentucky community colleges, commonly as an Associate Degree in Electrical Technology. They furnish a more well-rounded education while providing the foundation that readies students to begin their apprenticeship program.
As previously stated, Bachelor’s Degrees are accessible at some Kentucky colleges, but are less popular at 4 years than the other shorter programs. Most states require that an apprenticeship of no less than 2 years and in most cases four years be completed prior to licensing. Therefore, many students are anxious to start their paid apprenticeship, particularly if it’s not a component of their educational program.
Electrician Certification and Licensing Prerequisites
Electricians in Smiths Grove KY can carry out a vast array of functions, such as testing, installing and replacing electrical systems, and making sure that the wiring in houses and buildings are up to code standards. After finishing an apprenticeship, journeyman electricians are required to be licensed in the majority of municipalities and states. The duration of apprenticeship varies by state, but generally about 4 to 5 years of experience is required before taking the licensing examination. The exams typically evaluate electrical theory and general knowledge, along with knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Receiving certification is also a voluntary way for an electrician to identify her or himself as a skilled and experienced professional. The certifications available vary by state and can be obtained in numerous specialties, such as cable splicing as an example. The certification process in most cases entails 3 levels of proficiency:
- An experience requirement
- Passing a written exam
- Passing a practical exam
Examples of certifying agencies include the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC) and also the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). It’s crucial that the electrician trade school that you choose not only furnishes a solid academic foundation, but also helps ready you for passing any licensing and certification exams that you may be required to pass in the future.
Enrolling in Electrician Programs Online
A possibility that you might have contemplated is selecting an electrician online school to earn a degree or a certificate. Although online schools are becoming more prevalent as a way of attending class without needing to travel, in this instance they are not totally internet based. Just about all electrician training programs require partial attendance on campus to receive hands-on practical training. But since the rest of the classes may be accessed online, distance learning may be a more practical choice for students that have limited time for schooling. And as a bonus numerous online training programs have a cheaper tuition cost compared to their on campus competitors. Driving costs from Smiths Grove KY are also minimized and some of the study materials may be accessed on line also. All of these advantages can make online electrician trade schools more affordable and accessible. And many are fully accredited, which we will deal with in our questions to ask checklist.
Points to Ask Electrician Technical Schools
When you have decided to earn a certificate, diploma or degree, you can begin to refine your training options. Since there are so many electrician trade and vocational schools in the Smiths Grove KY area, it’s important to have a checklist of qualifications that each school must meet. The first 2 that we mentioned were location and the cost of tuition. If you have an interest in earning an degree online, then that needs to be a feature that your final school offers. And although all three qualifiers may be crucial when making your decision, there are other variables that need to be considered as well. Below is a checklist of those added qualifiers that you will need to research before enrolling in an electrical technical school.
Accreditation. A large number of electrician trade schools have earned either a regional or a national accreditation. They may earn Institutional Accreditation, which focuses on the school’s programs as a whole, or Programmatic Accreditation, which pertains to a specific program, for instance electrical technology. Make certain that the Smiths Grove KY school and program are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization, which includes the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Along with helping guarantee that you receive an excellent education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently unavailable for non-accredited schools. Also, some states require that the electrician training course be accredited for it to be approved for licensing.
High Completion and Placement Rates. Ask the electrician schools you are considering what their completion rates are. The completion rate is the percentage or portion of students who enroll in and complete the course. A lower completion rate might signify that students were disappointed with the course and dropped out. It could also suggest that the instructors were not competent to train the students. It’s similarly important that the schools have high job placement rates. Older and/or more reputable schools may have a broader directory of alumni, which can result in more contacts for the school to use for their apprenticeship and job placement programs. A high job placement rate can not only validate that the school has an excellent reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of contacts to assist Smiths Grove KY graduates obtain apprenticeships or jobs.
Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of electrician technical programs are taught in conjunction with an apprenticeship or an internship program. Those participating vocational and technical schools will help place you in an apprenticeship program within their network of electrical contractors or trade unions. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have referring relationships with Smiths Grove KY area electricians or electrical professionals. An apprenticeship not only provides a rewarding experience by providing hands-on training, but it also provides job opportunities and helps to build relationships in the local electrician professional community.
Modern Facilities. Confirm that the school facilities and the tools that you will be trained on are up-to-date and what you will be using in the field. If you are presently in an internship or an apprenticeship, talk to the electrical specialist you are working under concerning what you should be expecting. Otherwise, ask a local Smiths Grove KY electrical company if they can provide some tips. Additionally keep in mind that unless you are able to relocate, the school needs to be within commuting distance of your Smiths Grove home. Take note that if you decide to attend an out-of-state school, besides the added moving costs there can be increased tuition charges compared to in-state residents.
Smaller Classes. It’s important that you get as much individualized training as possible, which can be difficult in larger classes. Ask if you can sit in on some of the classes so that you can see how large they are and witness first hand the interaction between instructors and students. Speak to several of the students and get their feedback concerning class sizes and instruction. Last, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their level of experience is and what degrees or certifications they hold.
Flexible Scheduling. Make sure that the class schedules for the schools you are evaluating are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only go to classes at night or on weekends near Smiths Grove KY, verify that the programs you are looking at provide those choices. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, be sure that the school you select allows part-time enrollment. Also, check out what the policy is to make-up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family emergencies.
Electrical Training Courses Online Smiths Grove Kentucky
Selecting the right electrician training program will undoubtedly be the most critical decision you will make to begin your new trade. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Electrical Training Courses Online and wanting more information on the topic Accredited Electrician Certification Training. But as we have addressed in this article, there are a number of factors that you will need to evaluate and compare among the training programs you are considering. It’s a prerequisite that any electrical tech school that you are examining includes a considerable amount of hands-on instruction. Classes need to be smaller in size and every student should have their personal equipment to train with. Classroom teaching should provide a real-world frame of reference, and the curriculum should be current and in-line with industry standards. Courses differ in duration and the kind of credential provided, so you will need to decide what length of program and degree or certificate will best satisfy your needs. Every program offers different options for certification also. Perhaps the best approach to research your final list of schools is to go to each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Take the time to monitor a few classes. Inspect the campus and facilities. Make sure that you are confident that the school you pick is the right one for you. With the right training, effort and dedication, the final result will be a new trade as a professional electrician in Smiths Grove KY.
More Electric Locations in Kentucky
Smiths Grove, Kentucky
Smiths Grove is a home rule-class city in Warren County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 784 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area.
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 784 people, 298 households, and 228 families residing in the city. The population density was 945.3 people per square mile (364.7/km²). There were 329 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile (153.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.82% White, 12.12% African American, 1.91% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.91% of the population.
There were 298 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.03.
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